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This (in the specific) is the result of decades of tech workers saying "Unions? That's for blue collar workers. Also, they're corrupt. Also, I'm the Bestest Negotiator Evar, so I can definitely get myself better compensation just by using my leet negotiation skillz than I could ever get as part of a weak-ass collective bargaining agreement! That stuff's for girls, not alpha—no, wait, sigma—males like me!"

In general, it's the result of the closely-related broader trends of the gutting of unions nationwide, and a devastatingly permissive attitude toward consolidations, which leave all our industries with increasingly few, but increasingly large, companies, who are thus able to exercise disproportionate control over the expectations around work, and the conditions of workers.

This is then exacerbated by a resurgence of the American individualist attitude, which says that the most important thing is to work hard so you can get yourself a prestigious title and a fat paycheck—and ignore all the other stuff that's going on; only focus on your career ladder.



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